A Distance Apart
by Aeron Thana
Summary: A story about Percy, age 5, longing for his father, and Poseidon wanting to see his old lover and their son. Rated K. This is for TackAttack's Oneshot Challenge. The theme: beach.


**I made it up just now. Don't expect it to be good.**

**And it's for TackAttack's Oneshot Challenge. The theme: beach.**

* * *

Percy was silent, sitting on the sandy beach with his knees pulled up to his chest, his arms around his legs.

He was five, and at Montauk with his mom.

He heard footsteps coming up next to him, his mom sat down next to him. She smoothed down his hair, "What are you doing?"

Percy didn't speak for a second, then, "Mommy, is he still out there?"

Sally was startled, she didn't understand what he was saying for a minute, "Who, Percy?"

"Daddy." was his one-worded response.

Sally hugged her son, "Of course he is."

"Do you think he loves me?"

"I don't think he does," Percy's face was contorted with sadness, "I know it, Percy. He'll love you until the world ends." Sally didn't understand why he was coming up with these questions now.

"But how can he love me if he doesn't know me?"

"Because you're his son," she said simply, "And you know what Percy?"

"What?"

"I met your father on this very beach years ago."

"Really?" Percy's eyes widened.

"Really." Sally smiled at her son, "And you know, before he left, he said he would always love me, and you, you were still in my stomach at the time."

Percy looked at his mom's stomach, "How did I fit in your stomach?"

Sally found the topic was coming to a point where she was about to discuss an uncomfortable topic to a five year old, "You didn't. I kept on knocking things over and falling because you were so heavy.", she said, poking Percy in the stomach, making him giggle.

Thankfully, Percy moved to a different subject, "Mommy? Why did Daddy have to go?"

"He was needed on the boat. If he wasn't there, his boss would have been very mean to him."

"Oh."

There was a silence between the mother and son as the waves came up and seemed to tickle Percy's feet.

Percy started talking again, "Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course, Percy," Sally smoothed down Percy's hair again.

"When I was at school, our class fish talked to me."

Sally looked at her son in surprise, was this one of Poseidon's powers Percy inherited, or was he making it up? Sally immediately shook the second thought out of her head, Percy would never lie to her, "Really? What did he say?"

"He said he was a she, and she was going to have babies." Percy's eyes shined.

"That's nice," she said, yet again smoothing back his untameable hair, "I hope she's lucky enough to have a baby like you, Percy."

Percy gave a stubborn look, "I'm not a baby." Sally laughed, "Of course not, you're a grown boy, aren't you?"

Percy gave a nod.

Another comfortable silence spread across the two, "Percy?" This time Sally was the one to break the silence.

"Yes, Mommy?"

"You father told me, if you ever need, him, _ever_," Sally held he son's face and looked him in the eye, "Look toward the sea, and you father will be there." She gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay, Mommy," he said, leaning against his mother's chest.

"Whenever I'm in the water, I feel closer to Daddy." Percy admitted.

"That's good, Percy. He'll always be there for you, he's always watching, and he'll love you forever. You remember that, okay?"

Percy nodded into her chest.

Thunder rumbled. Dark clouds gathered father offshore.

Sally and Percy sat up, "Let's go inside Percy, we'll make s'mores. We can use the stove,"

Percy made a face, "They taste funny when we use the stove."

Sally laughed and pulled her son with her into the cozy cabin.

* * *

Somewhere miles underwater, Poseidon was watching this. He wanted to see his son, but he knew Zeus and Amphitrite would disapprove. Just now, Poseidon had risen to the surface, just to take a peek and his lover and son, but Zeus was quick. Storm clouds had gathered above him and thunder rumbled, a warning. Poseidon glared upward, but sank under the surface. He just wished he could see them, for just a second, but Zeus was strict; he was to make no contact with his mortal son.

Poseidon heaved a sigh and returned to his undersea castle, where his other lover and son awaited him.


End file.
